Get Sauced Near Golden 1 Center
There’s a new party place in Downtown Commons, and wouldn’t you know it’s where the old Hard Rock Café used to be (across from St. Rose of Lima Park and the seasonal downtown holiday ice rink). Sauced is a wide-open-concept space for large groups, sports fans and connoisseurs of smoky BBQ-style meats. But pretty much anyone can enjoy a happy hour or two, the large outdoor patio, and the long, warmly lit bar-of-libations (including over 250 bourbons, whiskeys, scotches and ryes).
The décor at Sauced BBQ & Spirits consists of rusted tin roof panels, wooden plank walls and lighted marquee signs, not to mention the multitude of large screen TVs to catch your every gaze. There is street or garage parking nearby, but why not consider public transportation when light rail stops literally steps from the establishment?!
This is the fourth location to date for Sauced; sister restaurants residing in Walnut Creek, Livermore and Petaluma. While not the only fun watering hole and eatery around Sac’s glistening new Golden 1 Center, this place is already drawing crowds. Luckily, it can handle them.
1028 Seventh St., (916) 400-4341.
Michelin Chef Returning to Sacramento at Canon
Also set to join East Sacramento’s burgeoning restaurant scene is Canon, a chef-driven neighborhood eatery with an emphasis on creative-yet-approachable food that celebrates Sacramento as the epicenter of a rich and diverse culinary region.
Canon will be led by Chef Brad Cecchi, who returns to the area after several years as chef de cuisine at the Michelin-rated Solbar in Calistoga and Urban Farmer in Cleveland. Prior to that, he was chef de cuisine at downtown Sacramento’s famed Grange.
Clay Nutting, Cecchi’s partner on the project, shared, “While we are excited for Chef Cecchi’s take on contemporary-yet-casual Michelin-caliber fare, we are also excited about Canon’s thoughtfully curated libations, which we look forward to sipping on the large 1,400-square-foot patio complete with fire pits, plenty of shade, and a comfortable, neighborly vibe.”
We’ll raise a glass to that! Canon is set to open later this spring.
Local Favorite Burgers & Brew Expands with New Location
Burgers & Brew has been a popular destination for, well, burgers and brew in the Sacramento area, with locations on R Street, in West Sacramento and Davis. Now, owner Derar Zawaydeh said a new location -- called Burgers & Brewhouse -- opening on 16th and J streets in Midtown Sacramento is slated for mid- to late-summer 2017 and will not only feature the local chain's specialty burgers and wide beer selection, but will include on-site beer brewing and rooftop dining.
"We will also have a full bar," Zawaydeh said, "and just like our West Sacramento location, we will be doing brunch on the weekends."
The brewing system will be a 15-barrel setup focused on draft beers, as the location doesn't have space for a bottling operation.
Burgers & Brewhouse is the biggest project taken on to date by the restaurant chain, and joins a Sacramento beer scene that continues to grow and thrive.
1616 J St.
New, Spacious East Sac Location for Kru
Kru Contemporary Japanese Cuisine was already a SacTown favorite when it called J Street in Midtown home. Now just a few blocks away at Folsom and Alhambra, the address is technically East Sacramento, but the transformation is stunning.
First, let’s start with the convenient and free nearby parking. Now, since that was so easy, how about a little happy hour? There are some great deals occurring between 3 and 5:30 p.m., and there is a little something for everyone, be it Japanese beer, hot or cold sake, wine, specialty cocktails, and an impressive (mostly) whiskey wall to help light the way. Also, the Red Lotus Roll – although just $5 on special – was perfection at any price.
The new Kru is large and spacious with exposed beams and a very high ceiling - perhaps symbolically drawing you up to new heights. On the contrary the bar is rather cozy, and is where the aforementioned happy hour deals are delivered. Right off the bar and through glass doors is an alluring private dining room and bottle shop for special events and experiences. And now Kru is even offering special seasonal pris-fixe ‘Community Dinners’. The first one’s in March.
It’s as if Kru has mastered the art of bridging worlds – East and West, Downtown and East Sacramento, impressive and accessible, grand and intimate, sweet and spicy.
3135 Folsom Blvd, (916) 551-1559.
La Cosecha Coming to Cesar Chavez Plaza
When the City of Sacramento and Downtown Sacramento Partnership held a contest to attract a "new and innovative business" to Cesar Chavez Plaza, the winner was Ernesto Delgado of Tequila Museo Mayahuel with his innovative plan to create La Cosecha.
La Cosecha will offer healthful cuisine and plenty of outdoor seating designed to provide a sense of connectedness to the area, much like the plazas in Mexico and Europe. “My vision for La Cosecha is that it be a place for community - to meet with friends, enjoy the park, and eat the freshest, truly Mexican food in an inclusive atmosphere,” Delgado said.
The park dates back to 1849, and in 1999 was named after farm worker advocate Cesar Chavez, who along with his wife Dolores Huerta founded the first successful farm workers union. “Cesar Chavez would be proud. How fitting that La Cosecha open in Cesar Chavez Plaza, a restaurant featuring fresh, local, truly Mexican cuisine. How perfect that the Farmer's Market be held there, showcasing the bounty of our region.”
The park was more recently declared a 'Great Public Space' by the American Planning Association because of its historical significance and frequent use by residents and visitors. Food, fun and community pride all rolled into one historically and culturally significant space... And it’s about to get even more delicious this spring (slated for opening April 2017).
